[WFRP] The Lord of Lost Heart (II)

[-Sentinel-]

Pieter grunted in pain as the horse tore a strip of skin off his shoulder and further damaged the brown robe Berthold had given him years ago. I was due to buy a new one anyway, he thought as he clumsily struck back at the animal, hoping to unhorse the knight. His blade hit nothing but air and rain. He whirled to face the knight, whose rapidly-shifting attention had just been drawn by Arne's earnest but foolish attempt at bravery.

Amidst his terror and desperation, the Ranaldite felt another emotion dawn in him - a cold anger at this knight who would rather go after unarmed peasants than face men with swords.

"Point made, Reinhardt!" he snarled. "Take Esther and rid us of you both!"


OOC: Defensive stance.

[Exeson]

Ithelus shouts out, 'I thought you here here for the girl!' He presses the knife harder to her neck. 'You better start talking about this, as it's obvious you can.'

'What do you want with her?'

[LCP]

The knight gave no reply to Pieter and Ithelus' shouts. Turning his head away from the paralysed figure of Arne, he dug in his spurs, sending his warhorse thundering back towards Pieter.

Staying light on his feet, Pieter crouched low under the reach of the sword, the cavalryman's blade kissing the rain over his head. The horse swerved towards him, trying to crush him against the sharp skirt of its steel barding, but he was ready for the beast this time - a nimble jump took him back out of the creature's path. Hooves ploughed up the muddy earth as the great beast checked its charge, turning to come straight at Pieter once more.

"Ellie!" came Arne's frightened shout from behind the melee. "Ellie, run!"

Ellie didn't need telling a third time. Breaking from the cover of the well, she sprinted between Illiiya and Pieter, heading for the shelter of the houses further down the village street. Arne followed her, shooting frantic glances back over his shoulder at the battle in the square.

Shouting what he probably thought was a warcry, Leopold came charging out of the rain, his shortsword held double-handed over his head in a way that Lothar would never recommend anyone to use such a blade. He brought it down with all his strength on the skittering horse; it struck the barding and bounced off with a noise like a little tin bell.

Over in the shadow of the inn, Ithelus could see Illiiya racing forwards too, Lothar left babbling in her wake. Esther squirmed in his grip, trying to writhe free but too frightened of the knife to hurt him.

"Let me go," she sobbed. Slumped in the elf's grip, she seemed utterly defeated. "I can't help you! Please, just let me go."

[-Sentinel-]

Pieter was glad for Ellie finally getting the message to run away, but groaned inwardly when Leopold entered the fray. He would much prefer to see Lothar by his side.

Oh gods, why haven't I fled yet? I know I can't beat that knight.

"Ith, can you free Esther already?" he yelled. "You can see she's no use!"

He frantically swung his shortsword at the horse again.

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Swift attack.

WS 36: (d100)[92]
Damage: (d10+3)[8]

WS 36: (d100)[48]
Damage: (d10+3)[7]



Pip, please don't spend my last Fortune Point on a dodge without my saying so, even if I'm at 0 wounds. Since this will likely just postpone 'death' by a round or two, there may yet be more useful ways to spend it.

"What do you want, Reinhardt?" he roared at the knight, his blows failing to even connect. "Why did you come?"

[BloodyAngel]

Illiiya Jaelrae

Pieter! Leopold! Get away from it, please!

Illiiya hesistated. The last time she had dared draw near the black rider, it had nearly slain her. She still bore the scar, in fact. She did not know what she could do, or how she could stop it...

What is controlling it? Why is it here? If not at the whim of the foul one itself, then... a mortal summoned it...

Ith! Illiiya called suddenly over the rain, Lothar! Kill them! Both of them! Without it's summoner, it may have no reason to fight us!

OOC:

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Casting Aethyric Armor and going all parry-mode.

Casting: (1d10)[5] + (1d10)[7]
Parry, if needed: (1d100)[89]

Illiiya pulled the winds about her like a cloak, the gusts of unseen aeythr encasing her like a suit of mail.

Hang in there, Pieter. Please survive....

[goblinpaladin]

Lothar lowered his sword. "He wants the girl alive, Ith! Let her the ---k go! The knight cut through us at the tree - we can't defeat him with steel. Not here." He ground his teeth and stepped forward, his sword lowered. "If Illiiya is hurt again because you wouldn't give up your obsession, I will cut the ears from your head, Ithelus."

"Pieter! Illiiya! Leopold!" He shouted gesturing with the sword. "Withdraw and let 'im take her! No-one has to die here."

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Full move, not run - moving sort of halfway between Illiiya and Ithelus. I'd be about two squares south-west of Illiiya.

[-Sentinel-]

Ith! Illiiya called suddenly over the rain, Lothar! Kill them! Both of them! Without its summoner, it may have no reason to fight us!

Pieter paled. "Ithelus, if you kill her, you'll doom us all! Let her go!"

"Pieter! Illiiya! Leopold!" Lothar shouted, gesturing with the sword. "Withdraw and let 'im take her! No-one has to die here."

I'd gladly withdraw, thought Pieter, but there's no way I'm turning my back on that thing. Right now part of him cursed Lothar for staying away from the fight after all the times he had called the initiate a coward for doing the same thing. That was unfair, of course; the soldier was only being sensible. It was he, Pieter, who was a suicidal idiot. But every instant the knight fought him was an instant it did not spend slaughtering innocents.

Ranald help me. I don't want to be a hero.

[Exeson]

Ithelus hesitated, doubt in his eyes. Looking between Lothar and Pieter his gaze faltered for a second before he uttered the words, 'Ok, on your own head be it,'

'Go play with your foul master,' And with a shove he pushes Esther away from him.'Here you go knight! now take her and leave!'

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Not sure if it requires an action as such to let her go but also push Esther away from Ithelus. If he still has any actions left he will continue to retreat to the Inn.

[LCP]

Ithelus' shout made the knight's head snap round, his arm already raised to strike Pieter down. The horse snapped its wolfish teeth at Leopold, making the miller's son jump back. Esther was staggering away into the rain, fleeing as fast as she could from both the murderous elf and the armoured death-dealer by the well.

The knight made no move to follow her. Slowly, his gaze turned back to Pieter, and the sword was lowered. The horse snorted and stamped, but the knight had it on a tight rein.

"That is not my name," said the voice from behind the visor. "And I came to see a promise kept."

The point of the sword stretched out towards Pieter, almost touching his own guarding blade.

"Where is Talberg?"

[BloodyAngel]

Illiiya Jaelrae

Fled. Illiiya told the rider matter-of-factly, Down the way. Take him if you wish, just spare my friends.

OOC:

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Holding action for a reply.

[Exeson]

Realisation dawned in Ithelus's mind. The knight was after vengeance, but for what? Perhaps it was time to find out.

Ithelus shouted his agreement with Illiiya, 'Yes, he fled that way' he shouted motioning in the direction Talberg had gone.

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If the knight heads off after Talberg then Ithelus will follow him as quickly as possible. Otherwise he just holds in the Inn's doorway.

[-Sentinel-]

When Ithelus released Esther, Pieter let out the breath he had been holding. He was about to answer something defiant and probably foolish to the knight's question about Talberg, but Ithelus and Illiiya chose to be cooperative. The initiate decided not to contradict them.

Oh, who cares at this point? If Talberg must die for the knight to leave the village alone, so be it, he decided. His sympathy for the pistolier had gone down quite a bit since he had abandoned them.

"See a promise kept? A promise to whom?" he asked, far from sure the knight would deign to answer him.

[goblinpaladin]

Lothar heaved a heavy sigh. He sheathed his sword, moving quietly up alongside Illiiya. His heavy chain clinked in the rain, rusting as silently as a disease.

"Good, Ill. Don't fight him." The soldier reached out for her hand, and stroked her too-pale alien skin. His empty eye hurt.

[LCP]

"See a promise kept? A promise to whom?"

"A dying man."

Without another word, the knight wheeled his horse around, spurring it on down the street. Pieter and Leopold stumbled back to avoid the spray of mud kicked up by its hooves, the reflected light of the fire dwindling on the steel panels of its barding as it receded into the rain.

Two figures ran after him. The first was Ithelus, slipping silently from the doorway of the inn and flitting through the darkness with a speed that betrayed his inhuman nature. The second had a head start: Esther ran ahead of the elf, stumbling and tripping in the darkness as the knight left her behind.

Through the rain, Pieter could see the dim glow of a window in the Faulebrand house. Breaking out of his gormless stare, Leopold gave a sharp intake of breath.

"Ulric's breath," he said, "Lex!"

Sheathing his sword, he started off after Esther and the elf.

[-Sentinel-]

Lex? Alexa?

The gears in Pieter's head turned too slowly now that the immediate danger to his person was passed and weariness took hold of his body and mind. He made to run after Leopold and see what this was about, but remembered Mr Faulebrand lying just a few steps from him. Whatever could have put the young man in such a hurry that he would leave his father there?

The initiate bent down and put two fingers on the miller's throat, searching for a pulse.

There was none.

So. Was this the dying man to whom the knight had made a promise? Had Mr Faulebrand told his son something while the rest of them were busy facing the knight?

"Be right back," Pieter told Lothar and Illiiya over his shoulder. Wasting no time on any doomed attempts at reviving the miller, he ran after Leopold. He was heartily tired of running and fighting and death, but since he had been in the middle of it all since the beginning, he thought he deserved to see how it all ended.

[Exeson]

Ithelus ran as fast as he could, altough he could feel the sickness eating away at his legs. His breath was coming in wheezes and every now and then he stumbled as he coughed up phlegm.

Yet Ithelus did not stop. Something bad is going to happen, something with Talberg. I have to find out what we've all been fighting over.

[BloodyAngel]

Illiiya Jaelrae

Fear turned to relief as the knight took flight in search of his true quarry. Her friends would live! She turned towards Ith, as if she was ready to rush to embrace him in sheer joy that he lived...

He was bolting off after the night.

W-wait! She called after him, rushing along herself.

OOC:

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Let's all chase the unkillable thing! YAY!

[LCP]

Ithelus overtook Esther as they passed the near wall of the Faulebrand house, the rain rushing against his face. Up ahead, he saw the dark shape of the knight swing down from the back of his horse, steel boots splashing into the mud.

Released from its master, the warhorse skittered backwards, turning to face the ragged band running after it with a snort of warning. The knight himself paid them no heed - instead he turned to the door of the miller's house. A gauntleted hand tried the doorhandle. It was locked.

The knight looked the door up and down, then took a step back. He threw his armoured weight shoulder-first against the sturdy timbers, and the hinges gave with a crackle of rending wood. A second blow sent the whole door crashing inwards, and the knight strode over the threshold.

Inside, Ricard was standing at the foot of the staircase, fumbling with his pistols. He looked up like a startled cat as the door gave. A trembling hand pointed a pistol in the knight's direction, and he took a step back onto the stairs.

"Now - now listen, Anhame, old boy," he said, his voice shaking as much as his hand. "I don't know what you've heard, but I think there's been some - some kind of, of misunderstanding..."

A pale face had appeared in a doorway at ground level. It was Leo's mother, peering out from cover like a mouse from a hole.

"I have heard nothing," said the knight, taking a ponderous step forwards. "I have seen."

Ricard took a step back to match the knight's, his grip tightening on the pistol. "No," he gulped, holding his aim. "Stay where you are!"

"Why?" came the voice from inside the helmet. From outside the door, Ithelus could only see the knight's back, but he saw the man's free hand reach up to his chest. There was a ripping sound, and a torn tangle of soiled bandages flopped to the floor. The awful buzzing of flies rose through the drumming of the rain, and Mrs Faulebrand screamed.

"Will you shoot me?"

[-Sentinel-]

Pieter saw the knight force his way inside the Faulebrand house, but was too far away to see what was happening inside. Only Ithelus and Esther were close enough to intervene, if they were reckless enough to try.

"Ith! Watch out for that........ horse thing!" he yelled. Panting, he turned to Leopold, who was running by his side. "Leo, what's going on? Your father say anything?"


OOC:

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Staying close to Leo.

Do we know the Hohlesbrucker hiding in the alcove of the Faulebrand house?

[Exeson]

Ithelus brought his crossbow up to his shoulder and slowly advanced towards the house, his eyes darting between the knight and his steed.

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Ithelus will get as close to the door to see what is happening as possible without antagonizing the demon horse.

[BloodyAngel]

Illiiya Jaelrae

Illiiya reached Ithelus, short of wind, but nonetheless she took his hand. She gave him a soft but insistent tug away from the rider and his steed, looking to Ithelus in concern.

Ith... It's not worth knowing if I lose you. She told him, And he may yet turn on us when he is through.

OOC:

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Getting to Ith (if I can) holding action.

[LCP]

"Leo, what's going on? Your father say anything?"

"You think I know any more than you do?" shouted Leopold, not slowing his pace. His voice sounded constricted. "Alexa's still alive! Talberg's leading him right to her!"

Up by the door the horse snorted its steaming breath at Ithelus, baring its white teeth. The rain was beading on its barding and tricking in rivulets over its black hide, but the elf could see the wounds they had dealt it at the barrow, raw and scabby. It might be touched by Chaos like its master, but at least the beast was mortal.

Skirting around the outside of its reach, Ithelus edged towards the door. Esther rushed past him, stumbling over the threshold and into the house. Peering after her, Ithelus almost jumped back as he heard the pistol roar. Ricard vanished in a cloud of white gunsmoke, and a leaden blur glanced off the knight's pauldron, burying itself in the plaster of the wall. All it left behind was a dent in the rusted metal.

Scrambling back up the stairs, Ricard dropped the pistol, drawing his sword. The knight advanced calmly towards him, setting foot on the bottom step.

"Listen... listen, Reinhardt, old chap, you're not yourself," stammered Ricard, fumbling madly with the second pistol at his belt. His face was white, sweat trickling down his forehead. "Why don't you just... just put down the sword, eh, and we can talk this all out? Like reasonable people."

"Reinhardt Anhame is dead." Another tread of a steel boot against the wooden stair. "He died in the woods."

Quick as a viper, the sword lashed out. Ricard jumped back, raising his own sword to defend himself. The two blades clashed, sending a fat spark leaping from the impact. Ithelus got the impression that the blow hadn't been meant to kill, though - just to test.

"No!" Esther rushed forwards, pulling at the back of the knight's shoulder. "No, please!"

He half-turned to face her, and she fell back. For a moment, the knight hesitated in his implacable advance. He looked at her like a man struggling to remember a face. It was the first time Ithelus had seen anything like uncertainty from the armoured killer.

"Then why are you doing this?" screamed Ricard, regaining the knight's attention as his attempts at concilation collapsed. The moment of weakness evaporated like spittle on a stove, as the knight took another step towards him. "You could have killed me at the barrow! What have I done to you?"

"Reinhardt Anhame died in the woods," said the knight. "He cut out his heart, that he might feel nothing. No more shame, no more sorrow." Step. "But he was too proud to accept that bargain for himself alone. He had to be shown what you had done." Step. "That was the bargain that was struck. That the truth he had been shown would be shared with those he left behind."

Step.

"Killing you at the barrow would have achieved nothing. You have been blessed your whole life. How could you be brought to understand despair, without first being brought low?"

The sword lashed out again. Ricard stumbled back, sheltering behind his sabre.

"The Father keeps his promises. I will fulfil Anhame's reckoning, and then I will be free to serve Him as He desires."

OOC:

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In this time, you can all move to the doorway if you wish.

[Exeson]

Ithelus shouts out 'Esther! you're the only one who can stop him. If you really aren't a cultist then now is the time to show it!'

[-Sentinel-]

Pieter ran to the doorway, his eyes warily watching the horse from underneath the wet mop of dark hair falling over his face. That animal may be mortal, but it certainly was not natural. The Ranaldite had little attention to spare for the words being exchanged inside the house - all he knew was that, if the knight only wanted to kill Talberg, it would most likely have tried to do so already. No, it apparently had a point to make.

He cast Esther a hopeful glance. Might she have any power on the knight that was once Anhame?

[BloodyAngel]

Illiiya Jaelrae

He broke the goddess' protection. Once he's done with Talberg, he'll kill us all. Or worse...

Images of Wulli flashed through her mind. Such a sad, lingering death on a man undeserving of such. The foul one would not rest with only Talberg. The imagined Ithelus upon that bed. Lothar. Pieter. Pain and sickness festering and spreading... and when the weaker souls give themselves to him to end it, they will serve only to spread what was their demise to others.

It has to end...

Glancing to her friends with a sad look, she steeled herself. No more running. Instead she focused her mind upon the winds, calling to them in a quiet, desperate plea.

OOC:

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Channeling, then casting acceptance of fate. I shall include Talberg and Esther in the spell if I can.

Channeling: (1d100)[87]
Casting: (1d10)[3], (1d10)[4], (1d10)[3]

Yes, I used the Dhar. This... may suck.

Edit: Failed AND a miscast. This shall indeed suck.

The winds came sluggishly as she called them, and in desperation, she drew of the Dhar in an attempt to force her will upon them. It was a mistake. In one slip, they rushed free, sending the Dhar lose upon her.

[LCP]

Illiiya felt the darkness disobey her, and an awful taste of bile clogged the back of her throat. The earth around her feet bulged and heaved like the squirming eggs of a fly. With a chorus of little pops, the muddy bubbles burst, many-legged things crawling from the muck. Heavy-bellied crickets dragged themselves towards her on spiny legs, beetles and termites and fat white worms wriggling up out of the sticky soil. Their buzzing clicks and rasps seemed to make a sound like laughter. Leopold recoiled in fear, almost backing into the horse as he did.

Black, spiny-furred flies swarming out of the cavity in his chest to form a crawling cloak, the knight kept advancing up the stairs. Esther tried to rush forwards to stop him again, but the little beasts swarmed against her, crawling into her eyes and mouth and forcing her back in retching horror. At the head of the stairs, Ricard retreated as fast as he could manage, not for one moment taking his eyes off his attacker.

"Alright!" he begged, sword still raised to defend himself. "Alright, you've made your point. I'll go! I'll do anything you ask!"

"That was always your answer, wasn't it, Talberg? Run away."

Step.

"I saw you at the barrow. You, walking on the bones of men who gave their lives for honour. They rode to their deaths across a muddy field, with their banner held high, in a place where no-one would see them fall."

Step.

"But you ran. You rode away to war with bright spurs and a fine horse, and you rode back without scars. Did you tell them stories of the battles you had fought? Did you tell them war was glorious?"

Step. The blades almost touched.

"Is there anything more contemptible than a deserter?"

The sword hissed out, and Ricard jumped back in fright. The knight followed swiftly behind, another blow forcing the pistolier scrambling back. He had reached the landing now.

"You ran away from the war." Cut. "You ran away from Esther Verloren." Thrust. "You would have run from the Faulebrand girl, if you could." Parry - the swords met with a peal of clashing metal. Ancient iron shrieked against fine Talabheim steel, and began to force its descendant back. Ricard's eyes met the knight's through the swarming cloud of flies.

"You have nowhere left to run, Talberg."

OOC:

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Ricard Disengages. The knight follows him and attempts another Manoeuvre up the stairs.

Knight - (1d100)[57] vs. Ricard - (1d100)[39] - the knight wins.

They have now reached the top. Esther is on the stairs behind them.

[BloodyAngel]

Illiiya Jaelrae

Illiiya recoiled from the vermin in disgust.

The winds are stagnant... She said in fearful desperation, I... I do not know if I can stop him. It is... not safe.

She looked to the others, most especially to Pieter, as if begging for some answer or solution. The ragged elven women seemed lost and scared and completely uncertain what should be done.

[goblinpaladin]

Lothar recoiled from the vermin swarming over Illiiya, hand reaching for his sword. He hesitated, looking up at the knight.

Is there anything more contemptible than a deserter?

He knew the answer. He may have returned from the war with scars but was still a deserter and in the soldier's chest beat a coward's heart. Delberz did not redeem him. Nothing could. There was no river in which the soldier could wash away his cowardice, no rough stone to strip the black stain from his record.

His hand closed on his old regimental sword, and he drew it.

[Exeson]

Ithelus recoils in horror as Illiiya's spell goes wrong, but as she speaks he realises that everything is ok. Weird, but ok.

'Talberg's trapped, I can try and help him. The knights after him and so we might be able to use that. Talberg as bait, to lure him where we want him.'

Ithelus looks to Lothar. 'Keep the knight busy if you can.' Before he can get a reply Ithelus runs to the house, pulls out his climbing gear from his bag and begins scaling the wall with the aid of his climbing spikes.

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Explanation of my intentions OOC as they might be a bit convoluted

[-Sentinel-]

At the edge of Pieter's vision, Ithelus went off to do something - the initiate had no idea what. Whatever it was, it may take a while. In the meantime, the knight seemed to be almost done with its speech. It clearly wanted to drive Talberg to despair before killing him; Talberg was now desperate.

I can't let this happen.

Pieter did not like the pistolier, but how could seven separate people, five of whom were armed, watch a murder and claim they were too scared to prevent it? He just had time to think: This is insane, and then he was running up the stairs and pushing Esther aside to attack the knight - from behind, in true Ranaldite fashion.

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Charge + grapple!

WS 36 + Charge 10 - Cloud of Flies 10 = 36: (d100)[74] - Yeah, not gonna happen.
Knight's Agility, if he knows the attack is coming: (d100)[100]
Knight's parry/dodge/whatever, if he knows the attack is coming: (d100)[59]

I didn't need that many Fate Points anyway. :P